St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-02-10
SIX HUNDRED TOWELS A DAY.
An unsupported Mania with Our Con.
Rressmen.

An Unsupported Mania with Our Com
gressmen.
From the recent report of the com
mittee on acoustics and ventilation
one would Judge that the members OF
the house of representatives were not as
tidy as they should be in their person
al habits, for they were accused of ne
glecting the cuspadores to the damage
of the carpets. From the report of the
clerk of the house a very different i'm
preston would be derived as the laun :
dry bill paid by that official show a
most extraordinary attempt at cleanli-
ness, or a waste of money at spigot
that should be plugged up. Congress
was in session about two hundred and
forty days, and, according to the wash
bills. used 13S, $50 towels, an average
of about 600 towels per day, or more
than two per member in attendance.
There is not a hotel in the country
where so many towels are washed per
day as in the house of representatives,
nor i'm which so much money is paid
for washing them.
The total expenditure for this pnr-
pose by the house of representatives
last year was $277095 for washing
year fifty cents a dozen was paid, but
in the spring the price was cut down
to twenty five cents a dozen. The
work is not let by contract, but is Civ
en- out by the doOrkeeper to whOmever
he pleases, and paid for at such prices
as he may fix. The position of wash
erwoman to the house of representa-
tives is an honorable and lucrative one,
lcI - asol or Il
ing have not been ashamed to take the
work and have it done by their SER
wants while they live comfortably on
the proceeds. No complaint is made
that such is the case now, but not
many years ago dOOrkeeper was
found to have given the towels to a
lady friend, to be washed at fifty cents
a dozen, who had women employed in
the basement of her house doing the
work for dollar a day.
According to the accounts of the
clerk, each congressman must have
used at least 400 towels during the
year, but they did not show any signs
of it. The report of the clerk shows
other entertaining entries. He appears
to have purchased tooth brushes, nail
brushes, hair brushes, combs, spOnges,
and other toilet articles by the gross,
and it is incredible that the quantity
accounted for could have been used by
the house of representatives. There
were enough for all the legislative
bodies in the world, although the tooth
brushes might not have gone abroad.
The quantity of soap consumed was
enormous and in the lists of purchases
were gallons of cologne, bay rum, tot
let cases, shaving cases, manicure cas-
es, nail polishers, nail powder, nail
files, and scissors, by the dozen and
gross, as well as Quinine and cathartic
pills and corset laces.
Among other useful articles account
ed for are two directories of st. Louis
and four dozen copies of rules for pro-
gressive euchre, which seems to be a
game much encouraged by statesmen.
The number of penknives purchased is
bewildering and would have stocked Il
large cutlery store. There were dOz-
ems of expensive French clocks and
fans. Four fans were purchased at
$50 each. There was an order for OPP
era glasses amounting to $697 and two
or three hundred more were supplied
at lower cost. A bracelet ut $3.50
is charged for. A knife, fork and
spoon, for which $3.50 was charged,
and several trunks, alligator bags and
other articles for travelling outfits
were purchased, costing from $50 each
down. Silk umbrellas by the dozen
were supplied to statesmen, and one
got fur robe that was rather expen-
sive. Another, with a view to ecOno
my which does not fit in well with the
laundry bills, drew a box of cellulOid
collars and cuffs. Another got an en-
broidered shawl strap for $3.50.
The number of packs of playing
cards that were supplied to members
the stationery clerk deserved
the attention of societies for the pre-
vice. 1t would appear that
when INDUCING in this
use new pack every
game, which is suspicious symptom,
or else they must give them to their
friends. There is no club house in the
not even at Saratoga, where
SO many cards we're used. The aver
age per capita is even greater than the
towels. An investigation into this
ought to be ordered.